Atlanta Braves Bullpen Gelling At Right Time
By Deke Lloyd
The Braves closed out another win, their 5th straight, by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2. It was a tight lead that the bullpen was able to hold until the end. With every save this Braves, bullpen grows in confidence.
The Braves bullpen has seen it’s ups and downs this season. A lot of the season, it’s felt more like downs with 14 blown saves on the season. Trying to figure out who is going to close games was an ordeal with Adrodys Vizcaino getting hurt before the season started. Next, was A.J. Minter who had an ERA over 9 before being sent down to the minors. Luke Jackson, the preferred closer for Brian Snitker, was handed the job, and has kept it for the most part, but not without his own problems.
It’s not just the closer’s role that has been an issue for the Braves. It’s been the entire bullpen. The Braves have had to pretty much overhaul most of the bullpen due to a variety of issues. Vizcaino, Johnny Venters, Shane Carle, Wes Parsons, and Jesse Biddle were all in the bullpen on Opening Day and now are all gone from the roster. A.J. Minter wasn’t in the bullpen yet.
Today, the Braves bullpen is completely different. Sean Newcomb, a pitcher who started in the rotation, is in the bullpen. The Braves have added Jerry Blevins and Anthony Swarzak to the mix. Chad Sobotka has gone up and down before settling back into the bullpen lately. Touki Toussaint has gone up and down all season, spending most of his time in the bullpen. It’s been a work in progress all season.
Through all the trials and tribulations of the season, the Braves have seemed to found some solid ground when it comes to the bullpen. Luke Jackson hasn’t blown a save for a month. A.J. Minter even got a save on Sunday to finish the sweep of the Padres, his second since returning from the minors. Swarzak and Newcomb have turned out to be legit and reliable options from the bullpen for the Braves. Josh Tomlin, one of the lone survivors from Opening Day, is ready to pitch in any big spot the Braves require. Toussaint and Sobotka have been able to step in spots when called upon.
By no means do I think this Braves bullpen is good and ready for a deep run into October. No, I’m still of the belief that there is at least one bullpen arm out there that can further solidify this bullpen so it is ready for a deep October run. For most of the season, the outcry for bullpen arms has been the loudest, and with good reason. However, this is a different situation entirely. Instead of feeling like the Braves are two to three bullpen arms away from competing, now feels like a player say someone of the Will Smith caliber could put this Braves team over the top.
I could just be a prisoner of the moment when it comes to this bullpen. The team has been playing great baseball as of late, with the bullpen being a big part of that success. It may not be perfect, yet, but there is something different about this Braves bullpen. They seem to be coming together to be one cohesive unit finally. And with the postseason just around the corner, they’re clicking into place at just the right time.